We asked whether you agree with Mayor David Miller that the federal
government should give cities one cent of GST. Here's what you had to say.

We asked you whether you agree with Toronto Mayor David Miller that the federal government should give cities one cent of GST collected in their city. Here's what you had to say.

The government that wants the money should be responsible for raising it and accounting for it.
Paul Reid, London

Today, Canadians are predominantly urban. Hence, investing in Canadians means investing in cities. This is not a fiscal issue, this is an identity issue. We are no longer lumberjacks or "coureurs de bois," no longer what George Elliot Clarke calls, a "wilderness people." Our self-image needs to change. The federal government needs to lighten up on their rural underpinnings - they need to wake up! The federal government should not give cities 1 cent of GST collected, they should give 2! I fully support Mayor David Miller in this initiative.Michele Champagne, Toronto

I would prefer to see a system whereby each level of government assumes
responsibility for certain services and levies their own taxes to cover
only their mandates. A significant portion of tax revenues is spent on
the vast bureaucracy which exists only to shuffle money back and forth
from one level of government to another.
Dave Smith, Fenwick

The federal government should give that one cent to the cities. I feel the money would be better spent at the municipal level. Our infrastructure for one would benefit.
Brendan Cahill, Toronto

The federal government should unabashedly give one cent from the GST to cities instead of a paltry tax reduction. Anyone living in a major Canadian city, like Toronto, can see that cities are starved for much needed funds to address the issues of infrastructure and service provision. Everyone would benefit from this one cent instead of only a minority who would benefit from a reduction in tax. Come on, make the federal government listen to common sense.
Robin Kelly, Toronto

The federal and provincial governments could sign a blank cheque for a and give it to the Toronto government headed by David Miller and the rest of spend-thrift NDPers and Toronto would spend every dollar and the city would still be in hock up to it ears.
G. Murray Neill, Toronto

Go for it Miller. Push hard and push back. The people of Toronto are behind you.
Susan Robertson, Toronto

It’s my view that the Mayor of Toronto has little respect for taxpayer money as demonstrated by him over the last four years. Let him first demonstrate some fiscal responsibility first to prove he deserves support.
Bruce Robertson, Toronto

Why would I want to give any additional money to a mayor who along with council has shown no vision for the city of Toronto? This is a mayor who’s supported by the unions and as far as I am concerned any additional funds will simply be eaten up in wage negotiations.
Susan Cain, Brampton

One cent of the GST would still not be enough to solve the city's problems. Miller has to show some backbone and start implementing things such as road tolls, congestion charges and parking surcharges. The money that could be raised this way would be double or triple what we would get from one cent of the GST.
Leo Gonzalez, East York

Miller and his municipals have wasted enough of the money they already have. To hand over another $400 million is like buying a bigger toilet paper roll.
Shane Ladner, Toronto

No way. Miller and Co. would just spend the money on more pictures of themselves and better looking offices to hold court in. How about this: give the GST money back to the people so they can afford to actually live in Toronto.
Tim Roome, Port Colborne, Ont.

Municipal governments are the largest mismanagers of finances in the country. As every level of government wants to get even bigger everyone forgets that there is only one taxpayer. The Canadian constitution clearly gives responsibility for cities to the provincial governments, not the federal treasury. Jim Flaherty is dead on: let's give the taxpayer a break and make municipal politicians stick to their knitting.
Edward Vickers, Toronto

What have the larger cities done to prove they will spend it wisely? Do they have their house in order or will the money go into a black hole?
Shawn Mather, Barrie, Ont.

Correct me if I'm wrong but didn't the city vote to keep one cent of the GST rollback when it was included in many of the fees charged? Are they not likely to do the same when the GST rolls back another cent? For these services then, they will be keeping two cents instead of reducing the costs accordingly.
Lorne Cline, Oshawa

I think that Mayor Miller needs to learn to fix the problems in the City of Toronto without throwing money at the problems. You can't spend your way out of the hole that you put them in.
Mike Tessier, Bowmanville, Ont.

I agree the federal government should return one cent to all municipalities. Further, a portion of income taxes should likewise be returned. Note I say returned because it comes from us municipal residents in the first place. I also agree with Toronto 2007 Summit speaker Joe Berridge that Toronto can no longer afford the TTC and it should be contracted out to private operators.
Raymond Kennedy, Toronto

Until (Mayor) Miller is prepared to turn over Toronto's books to an independent auditor so a line-by-line analysis can be conducted to see just where the money is actually going, all senior levels of government should tell Miller to take a hike.
Gary Powell, Toronto

I agree that it is impossible to fund city services out of property taxes. Some other form of funding is required. One cent of GST is as good a way of doing this as any other. But I can't help but think that this campaign would be more effective if someone other than the mayor of Toronto was leading it. The problem is that nobody outside of Toronto likes Toronto. An initiative that is perceived as primarily benefiting Toronto is not likely to gain popular support.
Dave Till, Toronto

I think Miller has no plan of his own and "grandstanding" for a GST rebate keeps him safely out of the real job of running Toronto. What a smoke screen; taxpayers pay a fortune here and get nothing. Miller should do what others do in tight times, like trimming those fat union salaries. Eighty per cent of the city's budget is spent on Unionized staff.
David Lundquist, Toronto

First a penny from the federal government’s GST, then some from the provincial coffers. It sounds to me like Mr. Miller just wants to have the money to spend without having to worry about keeping his own budget in order. Or maybe he just found a way to pay for some new renos down at city hall?
Bruce Cardwell, Waubaushene, Ont.

No. He should have asked for more than one cent.
Rishi Agarwal, London

Big cities are the engines of the Canadian economy.
Fred Dalli, Toronto

No, I do not agree. When Miller shows that he can be responsible with the funds he currently has then I may consider that he receive more from the federal and provincial governments.
Mark Boyce, Toronto

I agree with Mayor Miller that cities are very important to Canada's economy and that Toronto has been taken for granted. Ottawa should cut taxes and adjust tax brackets to reflect differing regional price levels, scrap any equalization payments and cut its services to the bare minimum required under a strict interpretation of our Constitution. The Ontario and Toronto governments would then have room to raise taxes to pay for health care, post-secondary education, new subway stations or fixing our rotting infrastructure. We earned this money. We shouldn't feel guilty about asking to keep more of it.
John Tracey, Toronto

David Miller and the Toronto government needs to start taking responsibility for their own finances, and not whine and complain to the rest of the country how shortchanged they are.
Carl McTavish, Oakville

Sure the politicians would love to get a penny from the GST but it is the consumers who pay the tax which under this proposal would stay at the current percentage. The penny should be given back to the people who pay the GST through a reduction in the tax. The politicians would just waste it in administration.
Rob Gibson, Grimsby

Don't give them anything. They (especially Toronto) are run by communists that have no idea how to run anything and are good for asking money only. More money won't fix anything except they will ask for even more next time.
Peter Smith, Toronto

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